Ammeter/volt meter
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Jan 2026
Posts: 30
Likes: 19
From: westminster, md
Ammeter/volt meter
I removed the ammeter in my 69 today to see why it’s stuck at +40. The winding looks good I found no breaks. The needle won’t move. Is this thing fried. Appreciate any thoughts
Safety Car
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 4,351
Likes: 1,579
From: los altos hills california
Anyway, ditch the clock. replace it with a voltmeter and keep the ammeter. I like to know which way the electrons are flowing.
BTW, the ammeter is a bit of a wiring trick that one needs to know about when adding big power hogs like electric fans. In that case it may be simpler to change it to a voltmeter. Just a bit of an aside!.
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Joined: Nov 2006
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From: Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia
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Cruise-In VIII Veteran
The volt meter will tell you quickly which way the voltage is going. The read out from the volt gauge is much easier to interpret at a glance going down the road.
My car always sits just above 14 volts when the fans aren't running. One day it suddenly dropped to about 13.3. I knew in an instant that I dropped a diode in the alternator. I was running on 2 stator leads instead of all 3. When I got home. Tore apart the alternator, and sure enough, the solder had let go on one diode connection.
When my fans come on. I see the volt gauge drop about 3/4 of a volt.
My car always sits just above 14 volts when the fans aren't running. One day it suddenly dropped to about 13.3. I knew in an instant that I dropped a diode in the alternator. I was running on 2 stator leads instead of all 3. When I got home. Tore apart the alternator, and sure enough, the solder had let go on one diode connection.
When my fans come on. I see the volt gauge drop about 3/4 of a volt.
